The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky

by Josh Galarza

Perfect for fans of Mark Oshiro and Adam Silvera comes a fiercely funny and hopeful story of one boy's attempts to keep everything under control while life has other plans.

Ever since cancer invaded his adoptive mother’s life, Brett feels like he’s losing everything, most of all control. To cope, Brett fuels all of his anxieties into epic fantasies, including his intergalactic Kid Condor comic book series, which features food constellations and characters not unlike those in his own life.

But lately Brett’s grip on reality has started to lose its hold. The fictions he’s been telling himself – about his unattractive body, the feeling that he’s a burden to his best friend, that he’s too messed up to be loved – have consumed him completely, and Brett will do anything to forget about the cosmic-sized hole in his chest, even if it's unhealthy.

But when Brett’s journal and deepest insecurities are posted online for the whole school to see, Brett realizes he can no longer avoid the painful truths of his real-life narrative. As his eating disorder escalates, Brett must be honest with the people closest to him, including his new and fierce friend Mallory who seems to know more about Brett’s issues than he does. With their support, he just might find the courage to face the toughest reality of all.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Audiobook, Contemporary, Mental Health, Teen, Fiction

313 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 23, 2024

About the author

Josh Galarza writes fiction and creative nonfiction and is a multidisciplinary visual artist specializing in printmaking, book arts, and sculpture. His debut novel, The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky, was a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. He holds an MFA in creative writing from Virginia Commonwealth University, a BFA in art from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a BA in English from the University of Nevada, Reno. He lives in Northern Nevada and is the three-time reigning world champion of extreme trampoline air-drumming, a sport he invented himself.

Reviews

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 3.5 stars

The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky. Funny title, right? The story isn’t that funny, though.

Brett is a sixteen-year-old who is drowning. His adoptive mom has cancer, and therefore, he lives with his best friend, Reed. He eats to push away the pain in his stomach and drinks to feel numb.

The first chapter grabbed me at my throat. Drunken Brett orders an Uber to drive through all the fast food restaurants in town and then eats everything he ordered. Alone. I’m an emo eater myself, so I can fully understand his feelings to eat his problems and pain away.

I really loved that this story is about a boy and eating disorders. We need far more of them. Most YA books about eating disorders are about girls, and it’s so refreshing to see it from a boy’s perspective. Brett is in pain because of Evelyn but also has hardly any self-love. And in the end, that’s what this story is eventually about.

TGCRDITS made my stomach clench more than once, and I wanted to hug Brett so badly, but something kept me from rating this story a full four stars. I think that something is the storyline. I wanted to know a bit more about how Brett started to eat more and more, and I definitely wanted him to realize more slowly that he had an eating disorder. It was like one and one is two instead of searching for an answer longer or making a detour.

But other than my comments above, this is a solid debut, and I’m really curious what Josh Galarza will write next.

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[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book because of the great representation, kind of expecting it to be good enough but not great. But Josh Galarza said, mediocre? I don’t know her.

I’m going to just list all of the reasons why I loved this book:
1. Brett is one of the most sympathetic, realistic, honest MCs I’ve read in a long time. I can’t emphasize enough how great the voice is in this book. Brett is funny, rude, foolish, kind, mean, and all the things real teenagers are. I loved him.
2. The relationship between Reed and Brett was fantastic. Galarza does a good job of showing love between friends that challenges traditional masculinity without completely throwing it out.
3. The friendship between Mallory and Brett was fantastic too. It was so different, but so much better than I thought it would be.
4. It talks about difficult topics without avoiding painful language or shying away from ugly moments.
5. Art and creating take a central role in emotional healing in the best way.
6. I am not exaggerating when I say, rep like this saves lives. There just aren’t enough books that talk about these topics or show young men struggling with eating disorders. But it’s not just representation of mental health, but Indigenous people, cross-racial adoption, all kinds of queer relationships, etc.

I could go on forever. I loved this book and now I have to make everyone read it.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Megan Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m glad I stuck it out through this book. The super hero stuff was so cringy that I almost bowed out early, and then the eating disorder sequences were brutal enough that I almost stopped, but the final third did such excellent work pulling everything together, and I enjoyed how much our MC grew and learned. I feel like this book does really powerful work breaking down a lot of assumptions and beliefs about diet culture and eating disorders and trauma, and I can see it really making a difference for a lot of people.

[Stephanie Fitzgerald]

Jumped ship and did not finish.

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Debut authors often derive their first novel from personal experience, and The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky couldn't get much more personal for Josh Galarza. In the aftermath of sixteen-year-old Brett Harrison's stepmother Evelyn's cancer diagnosis, he is forming self-destructive habits. He regularly cruises Tucson, Arizona to binge eat at fast food restaurants. Brett's waistline is expanding to an unhealthy degree, and he keeps secret how much vodka he swigs. Brett moved in with his best friend Reed Sheldon's's family after Evelyn became unable to care for him, but Brett holds the family at a distance as he eats himself toward oblivion. Ms. Finch, the school counselor, is the only one he talks to about his problem, but Brett resists opening up fully.

"Sometimes our coping behaviors hurt us more than the things that cause them."

—Ms. Finch, P. 64

Reed frequently intervenes for Brett to keep him out of trouble. A writer and artist, Brett has created his own comic book featuring a hero called Kid Condor, and Reed helps him sneak into school and distribute copies of the comic after dark. Reed gets caught and takes the blame; Brett is reluctant to let him suffer alone, but what good would it do for them both to be punished? Brett's kamikaze approach to life changes when he crosses paths with Mallory Clark, a morbidly obese girl at school who doesn't seem to care about the insults leveled by peers. As Brett and Mallory become something like friends, he sees her situation is more complicated than he knew. His own binge eating is just as serious and complex, as Brett realizes when more dire symptoms of an eating disorder emerge. Can he bring himself to seek help before ending up a cautionary tale for other traumatized teens?

"As long as there's a story in your heart, you'll always have somewhere to escape to when things get hard, and as long as you're a storyteller, you'll always be able to build your own escape route."

—The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky, P. 31

Early on, this book hits just the right emotional pitch. Brett's grief is powerful, and the struggle with unhealthy dependence on food is highly relatable. As it goes along, though, The Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky is marred by political self-indulgence. Josh Galarza seems determined to tell a tale only for readers on one side of the political spectrum; that’s sad, because this novel could be a vital help to a broad audience. If he approached them with respect, Galarza might even persuade some of them to his beliefs. Mallory's inclusion harms the book; she's bitter, and spends her time scolding Brett and lecturing all the ways she's superior to him. Even if one agrees with her politics, that's tiresome. I might rate The Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky one and a half stars, but what could have been a timeless YA classic is instead well below average.

[Haylee Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please push through the beginning of this book. It all comes together in the end. Brett’s comic world is just a small part of the whole book (but an important piece of understanding him as a character…a great, dynamic, well-written character.)
If you want to read a heartbreaking yet wonderful story about a teenage boy struggling with an eating disorder, grief, trauma, and general high school problems, READ THIS! We need more books that touch on teenage boys dealing with mental health and body image issues, and this one does it so well. I might be a huge baby, but it also made me uncontrollably sob, so make sure you have tissues.
Trigger warnings: many descriptions of disordered eating and some other self harm

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A YA dark-humored look at a teenage boy’s struggle with grief and eating disorders.
✨
Brett feels like he’s losing control ever since his adoptive mother got cancer. Now he lives his life in a fantasy world filled his comic book storylines and dive into oblivion using alcohol and food to cope. His best friend and foster brother tries to help him, as well as the school counselor, but Brett is in denial about his issues until someone leaks his food journal online. Now everyone knows about his insecurities, grief, feelings of isolation and struggle with food. As Brett navigates what his life is like now with no where to hide, he finds comfort in a new friend and wonders if he’s able to save himself through healing and therapy.
✨
I am not going to sugarcoat it: this book is a tough read, even if you’ve never experienced an eating disorder. @authorjoshgalarza doesn’t shy away from exploring all facets of the teen boy experience from drinking, bullying, lust and even other lesser talked about issues such as body image, insecurities about dating, mixed race issues and fighting against the patriarchy from the point of view of a teen boy. This novel is definitely one I could see being a great high-school bookclub pick, if you’re looking, because it has so many issues teens deal with and can discuss in a safe place. Check the content warnings for this one.

CW: fatphobia, eating disorder, emesis, suicide ideation, self-harm, death of a parent, cancer, body shaming, bullying, blood, toxic relationship, alcohol

[Acnegoddess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book because my own recent struggles with an ED have come to light, and very few books dealing with them, bulimia and binge-eating disorder especially, have come to my attention, so this intrigued me.

I think this was a really good book when it wasn't painfully obvious that an adult was, like, hella trying to write from a teen's dope perspective, bro! Fortnite Discord John Cena in Peacemaker bro!!! (Did I mention it's hella pandering, my dude?) Maybe his cool teacher who freestyle raps in the middle of class will have "hella insights about the racist roots of fatphobia"!!!!!!

It felt a little all over the place at times, and I wasn't sure how I felt at first about Mallory being the manic pixie fat girl of Brett's dreams, but things seemed to work out okay in the end. I can see how this book can be important for young men struggling with an ED--it's hard enough for women, but at least it's not /as/ shameful for us.

So, overall, not great for me. But it could very much be great for someone else.

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 4 out of 5]

just started this book yesterday and I couldn’t put it down. It’s not a what I was expecting, but it did wreck me. Brett has been dealt some really hard cards in life and he takes to coping with it by making his own comics to escape reality and… with food. After noticing he’s put on a few pounds, Brett realizes he may have a problem. But he decides to have his cake and eat it too and starts throwing up all that he eats. This, of course, makes things worse. Just when he’s hit rock bottom, his private thoughts from his journal are leaked online too… by someone he thought was a friend. Brett finally admits that he may need help and that he’s not coping with his trauma well. As a society, we don’t talk about grief eating, stomach aprons and male eating disorders. This book brings all these real issues to light in a vulnerable and heart wrenching way. Highly recommend this novel be read in all high schools. Its message is real and raw.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best YA exploration I’ve read of eating disorders and the path towards treatment, intuitive eating, and questioning diet culture.

[Nat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not an easy read, but a beautifully told story nonetheless.

[DaNae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was only a bit into this one when I questioned if I wanted to finish. I struggle to read about self-destruction. There are so many uncomfortable parts and Brett’s self-hatred is hard to witness. the Overeaters Anonymous was particularly horrendous. I did find the character’s voices to be more authentic than most issue books that have characters talking in platitudes. I don’t love visiting teen boy vulgarity, but it added a layer of genuineness and often humor. Overall, I’m not sad I read it, and the fat-splaining portions at the end felt less lecturey than other books I’ve read.

52 Book Club24: #42 - Author debut in second half of 2024

[Sacha · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

This is a fantastic YA contemporary novel, focusing on a male protagonist who experiences a lot of painful loss. He attempts to cope with these losses, uncertainties, and changes through disordered eating, and his journey is both painful and poignant.

Brett, the m.c., loses his birth mother in a tragic situation when he is very young, and he is fortunately adopted by another woman to whom he is inextricably bound. When she is diagnosed with lung cancer, it's just too much for Brett to take (and readers will understand this sentiment because it seems grossly unfair even in a fictional scenario). While Brett has a caring community in his life, notably but not exclusively his best friend and a father figure, he is really struggling. This manifests in disordered eating and many, MANY tears.

I've taught children's, middle grade, and YA literature at the college level for 20 years, and there is such a dearth of YA texts focusing on both the central motif of this book and on male protagonists. These basics alone make this a standout novel. But there's more to the success of this book. Brett's development, his introspective nature, and his ability to (over time) learn to communicate with others and face his challenges reveal a vulnerability not often seen in male characters, particularly for this audience.

Any prospective reader should carefully review the content warnings the author responsibly provides at the start of the book. There is a lot of discussion of disordered eating, and this includes details about different ways that manifests, specific foods, and conversations about this topic. Readers will also encounter mentions of self-harm.

Those who can manage this content and who appreciate YA should not miss this book. Galarza is filling a niche that has been in desperate need of solid contributions. I'm looking forward to recommending this to students with clear content warnings up front.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever been close enough to the Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the sky?

Brett has, along with his intergalactic comic superheroes. Because having to navigate the strains of high school, live in a home that isn’t exactly yours, and worse yet, lose the one person who is most important to you can leave a gaping galaxy-sized hole in your heart. But when someone posts his deepest insecurities online for the entire school to see, Brett can no longer hide behind his comics and fast food runs or avoid the painful truths buried deep down. He must decide between facing the toughest reality of them all or let his fictions consume him.

Although a super cool title and cover, it’s actually about a sixteen year old boy with an eating disorder. The roller coaster streams of emotions we experience through Brett are real, perhaps too real. But by reading his story it forces us to confront our own prejudices, personal issues with self-image and for some, our relationship with food. Brett’s unadulterated responses will sometimes mirror my own and I understand completely the need to eat, crawl under a rock or escape into the cosmos as a kind of coping mechanism. It’s also refreshing to see the struggles of compulsive eating through the lens of a teenage boy rather than depicting it as a girl problem. Bulimia knows no gender. I enjoy reading Brett’s journey and will always root for a main character who will triumph over the difficulties of his sad reality. In the end, it’s about facing the pains and learning how to love one’s self properly without the crutches that will do more harm than good. Brett will come around to this understanding, thankfully.

This one can be a tough read. Although the author tries to avoid triggering language, check them anyway if you need them.


Thank you Fierce Reads and Storygram Tours for my complimentary copy and to Josh Galarza for all the Dorito dust accumulated on my fingertips while reading this painful yet moving story.

[Brad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This just . . . did not work for me. Most of the supporting cast felt like Manic Pixie Dream Characters--quirky but seeming to only exist to support the main character, not having any lives truly outside him. Brett himself is fine, but the author really wanted to write about Brett's eating disorder, and that's the least interesting thing about him. It's telling that the denouement (which goes on forever) features a bunch of characters changing their reactions to Brett without Brett doing anything to facilitate these changes and that he actual ending of the book reconciles his relationships with his best friend Reed and his adoptive mother Evelyn, his bulimia fading to the background. Sure, these stressors trigger Brett's eating disorder, but it feels like the plot is fighting to be about many other things, but the author is insisting it focus on eating disorders.

[Emily Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this one for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge- read a book based on the title. I WAS NOT prepared for what this book turned out to be. This is a heavy book. Eating disorders are at the heart of the book. And grief. And trauma. Written so well from the POV of a 16 year old. I would bounce between chuckling at the young dumb stuff and then the whiplash of feeling seen in the days of my youth riddled with disordered eating. The way the author takes us through Brett’s thought processes and how they grew and changed was so genuine. So many aspects of the various approaches and ways of thinking about bodies and food were represented. Sometimes that was hard because it was too real. But I greatly appreciated the well researched resources spoken about and provided in the back of the book. And I loved how time was taken to articulate that disordered eating isn’t a “girl problem”.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of those mixed reviews. I think it would be a "hard sell" for teens because it takes quite awhile to get into the story. It definitely got better and is well worth the read, but I don't know how many would stick with it long enough to appreciate it--I almost decided not to read it, but I almost never drop a book, especially an award winner. The author writes from a place of knowledge and sincerity. I think for the right reader, it would be an important book. I just wish that the beginning wasn't so slow.

[Carli · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Brett’s life turns upside down when his adopted mom is diagnosed with cancer. While she is hospitalized, he moves in with his best friend, and his bulimia nervosa spirals out of control. When his journal detailing his battle is made public, Brett has to face the damage that this coping mechanism is doing to him, and begins the ugly, nonlinear process of grieving and getting better. Beautiful, sad, and uplifting. Highly recommended for readers in grades 9+.

[Emilie Pelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll admit it. I picked up The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky purely because of the title. How could I not? But what I found inside was much deeper than I expected. This was my first time reading a novel that centered on an eating disorder, and it was eye-opening.

As a teacher, this book served as an important reminder that every student is dealing with their own struggles, often in ways we might not see. It reinforced the importance of checking in, listening, and creating a space where they feel supported.

[JoAnna Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very emotionally heavy story about a boy and his crippling grief over multi childhood traumas. It’s a story of loss and learning to love one’s self regardless of perfection. It’s a story rooted in love and friendship told through humor and imagination. I think this should be required reading for junior high/high school children. I really do. This was a 4.4 read for me. I highly recommend it!

[Jan Raspen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a lot heavier than I thought it would be, but it is an absolutely necessary addition to every HS collection. There are not many books about boys with eating disorders, and this one is very well done. It is gritty, and the main character acts like SO many high school kids today--foul mouthed yet sensitive, strong-willed yet unsure...
I read John Schu's Louder Than Hunger last year, which is great for middle school, and this one is great for high schoolers.

ETA: OMG THIS AUTHOR LIVES IN RVA!!! He is teaching at VCU and getting an MFA! WHAT?!?!?!?!

[Kibbenza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this. I was so excited for a book like this told from the perspective of a teen boy. I guess I liked parts of it? It seems like I'm in the minority, but I just didn't really like this book. The voice of the MC felt very much like an adult trying to write a teen; the references and slang also felt kind of dated, and it really took me out of the story. I felt like this book tried to do admirable things, but ultimately just fell flat for me. I felt bad for the main character at times, but I never really liked him, and that made it hard to care about his story.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wrote a 2 page essay for work about why this book is not good.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this one but it is an important take on the male psyche and eating disorders.

[Niko Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had a very good story and premise and really touched on subject that most consider sensitive. I highly recommend anyone read this book!

[Benjamin Cross · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s fine and heart is good… but I’m pretty confident kids don’t talk like this

[Janette McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This amazing book shares several mental health concerns through the lens of a teenager. Highly recommend!

[Idabest · Rating 4 out of 5]

actually good I think??

[Hannah Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me feel physically ill. What a read. Definitely, definitely be aware of the trigger warnings before reading it or handing it to a student. Be completely aware of the student's background when giving them this book — it's a heavy one. This book is a vivid depiction of what it may be like to struggle with an eating disorder. Prepare to be completely gutted by Brett's spiral and rebuilding if you choose to read this one. It ends well in the end, but it's not an easy one to read.

[Amanda Toney-Velázquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s a fun book about grief. It’s about disordered eating in boys. It’s about taking down diet culture. It’s about fat people. It’s, you know, feminist.
Now that the book can speak for itself, I need only provide the simplest synopsis: The Great Cool Ranch Dorito in the Sky is a book about love. Just love, that’s all.”